I am extremely annoyed about the rash of rude comments persons have supplied in recent days, since I noted inter alia how last Sunday's Missa cantata at St Aloysius was badly sung.
Some would have it that no member of the laity can dare say anything about the music, be it never so poorly executed... well, in simple terms, A cat can look at a king.
As I said in the beginning, the schola (fine fellows all, no doubt, but their numbers depleted by absences of their leading singers) simply needed to have realized that the Propers of the day were too hard for them (I was sitting right up the front, and could clearly hear that they were all over the place, not even singing the same notes as each other), and that it would have been quite alright to sing the texts to a psalm-tone, which they would have easily accomplished.
It seems to me that it was not they themselves (as a chanter myself, I know how badly one feels when one sings off-note, as if one's let the side down and ruined everything) but probably some overzealous friends of theirs who turned partisan and have been lashing into me: well, I've been mightily annoyed by these pests, because I have a very irascible nature.
As I said in the beginning, the schola (fine fellows all, no doubt, but their numbers depleted by absences of their leading singers) simply needed to have realized that the Propers of the day were too hard for them (I was sitting right up the front, and could clearly hear that they were all over the place, not even singing the same notes as each other), and that it would have been quite alright to sing the texts to a psalm-tone, which they would have easily accomplished.
It seems to me that it was not they themselves (as a chanter myself, I know how badly one feels when one sings off-note, as if one's let the side down and ruined everything) but probably some overzealous friends of theirs who turned partisan and have been lashing into me: well, I've been mightily annoyed by these pests, because I have a very irascible nature.
I assert that it is entirely allowable to mention what I experience at Mass, be it good, bad or ridiculous; anyone who thinks otherwise, frankly, can go jump in a lake!
Consider for a moment if the NLM had been covering that Mass, for some reason (as they have for other celebrations there in the past), or if journalists doing a story on Catholic Traditionalism had been present... they would hardly have minced their words.
People need realize that they cannot get away with mediocrity, let alone defend it!
I have disabled anonymous commenting - so Rob, you'll have to sign up somehow to comment, old pal - and will be praying the Almighty to deliver me from trolls.
All this reminds me of how poor Terra was so assailed for what she wrote on her blog (the late lamented Australia Incognita) about - gee, how coincidental! - the lack of cooperation and indeed the nasty bickering ways of Traditionalists in Australia, that she closed it down. It used to be one of my very favourite reads, and I even tried to convince her to reopen it, but without success, she was so upset.
I (no offence, Terra) am made of much stronger stuff, being a badtempered bloke.
All this reminds me of how poor Terra was so assailed for what she wrote on her blog (the late lamented Australia Incognita) about - gee, how coincidental! - the lack of cooperation and indeed the nasty bickering ways of Traditionalists in Australia, that she closed it down. It used to be one of my very favourite reads, and I even tried to convince her to reopen it, but without success, she was so upset.
I (no offence, Terra) am made of much stronger stuff, being a badtempered bloke.
I will not be accepting ANY comments about the debacle at St Aloysius or about this post or others like it - be warned, I will disable commenting facilities entirely if even one dare abuse me again.
UPDATE: Of course some person didn't understand the last paragraph... thank God for the delete button.
UPDATE: Of course some person didn't understand the last paragraph... thank God for the delete button.
[This comment was submitted for a more recent post, but I thought it better to stick it here; it comes from one Nemo.]
ReplyDeleteDear Josh,
I do not dispute your or other peoples' observations that the mass you recently attended at St Al's was accompanied by poorly executed singing by the schola. You do however seem to have missed the point with a number of comments which took exception to your criticism of this singing. Exception was taken to your excoriating language and the lack of charity implicit in your comments. Your subsequent reaction seemed to confirm a lack of empathy and good will on the matter. It is unfortunate that you have resorted to censorship in the face of criticism. You take affront to be, as you claim, lectured about charity and prudence, matters about which you have, on an academic level, much to say yourself in your blog. You accused objectors of suffering from a victimhood mentality when the cursory observor is naturally struck by you yourself taking upon this role. You have made comment about how people should know their place, which strikes one as being patronising. The comments objecting to your remarks about the singing at St Al's were characterised by intemperate language in contrast to the measured tone of the objectors. In order to deflect criticism of youself, which you evidently find difficult to accept, despite stressing the importance of your fraternal correction of others, you have pointed the bone at others and cast aspersions upon the relevance of the enterprise at St Al's on the basis of a summer reduced congregation.
In the interests of Christian harmony I should hope that you endevour to cultivate a spirit of constructive criticism and language more in keeping with Jesus' divine plan.
Well, what can I say... I do fairly obviously have a short temper and get very agitated by criticism.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I shall try taking the beam out of my own eye.